Altus Strategies granted three new licences in Morocco

Africa-focussed exploration project generator Altus Strategies announced on Tuesday that its 100% owned subsidiary Aterian Resource has been granted new exploration licences, targeting zinc and copper in Morocco.

The AIM-traded firm said the Ammas, Takzim Est and Arfa licences had been granted, totalling 87.55 square kilometres in the north African country.

It said the Ammas licence was located 3 km along strike of the Hajjar VMS zinc-copper mine, while the Takzim Est licence was located 6 km east of its Takzim zinc project.

The Arfa licence was located in the Oriental province of north-eastern Morocco.

Altus also reported the discovery of quartz stockworks and gossanous outcrops at Ammas.

“The award of these strategically located exploration licences in Morocco is an exciting addition to our exploration pipeline,” said Altus chief executive Steven Poulton.

“The licence areas were selected on the basis of our remote sensing programmes across terrains considered to be prospective for zinc, copper and other base metals.”

Poulton said the company’s field team had “immediately” commenced exploration at Ammas, which is approximately 30 km south of Marrakech and in an active mining district, which hosts numerous 'VMS type' deposits, including the Hajjar zinc-copper-lead mine located 3 km northwest of Ammas.

“Encouragingly our geologists are reporting the discovery of quartz stockworks and gossanous material in outcropping meta-volcanics and meta-siltstones at Ammas,” Poulton explained.

“Once this initial reconnaissance phase of exploration is complete, the field team will move on to Takzim Est and Arfa.

“We look forward to updating shareholders on the results from these programmes in due course.”